Short Article
The MacRebur plant in Lockerbie, opening it's first factory using plastic waste to surface roads. The plastics that would have headed for landfill will help to produce asphalt. How much plastic does this keep out of the environment? One kilometer of road surface made using this new mix will make use of the equivalent of 1.8 MILLION single use plastic bags! Or an astounding 684,000 plastic bottles!
Chief executive Toby McCartney said the opening of its first factory was an "important milestone".
He said it would help to tackle both plastic waste and potholed roads.
Conventional roads use crude oil to make bitumen which binds the rocks, limestone and sand. They have a new process which replaces some of that oil with plastic and of course there is a "secret ingredient" in there too.
The granules are mixed with an activator to make the plastic bind and it is then bagged ready to be distributed to asphalt producers.The company said its mix allowed the bitumen used in the production of asphalt to be extended and enhanced, reducing the amount of fossil fuel used.
Trials have already taken place in a few areas including Dumfries and Galloway and Aberdeenshire. MacRebur say they are also working with Tesco to fix some of their car parks.
The company have also just agreed a £1.6m deal with the Department of Transport to test the technology in Cumbria
Mr McCartney said: "Our technology means that we can not only help solve the problem of plastic waste but also produce roads that cope better with changes in the weather, reducing cracks and potholes.
"That's because our roads are more flexible thanks to the properties of the plastic used in them, so although a MacRebur road looks the same as any other, it has improved strength and durability.
"Our technology also means there are no plastic micro beads present in the mix and we can even recycle the road at the end of its lifespan, creating a circular economy that is sustainable and cost effective."
Article sourced BBC
